


2:25 am.

by seaglassdragon



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: F/M, Mild Angst, abuse mention, relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2020-01-04 14:02:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18345140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seaglassdragon/pseuds/seaglassdragon
Summary: No matter how far he runs Diego can't escape his dreams.





	2:25 am.

2:25 am. The clock on the nightstand read in bright red letters. Almost the same time as the night before. Diego bolted upright, sweat dripping down his face and hands up in a ready position, his heart was racing and his vision was blurry. It took several heartbeats, that he heard painfully loud in his head for him to realize that he wasn't in the training room like he had thought but still in bed. He lowered his hands, starting to shake as the sweat turned cold.  
Next to him, Eudora rolled over, rubbing her eyes as she sat up and spoke softly "I'm going to touch you, you're fine". She gently set her hand on his thigh and squeezed. "I'm willing to listen whenever you're ready to talk".

They sat in silence for several long minutes while Diego waited for his hands to stop shaking. Finally, he spoke and was embarrassed by how choked up his voice sounded and how the words caught in his throat. "T-that bastard again". Next, to him, she nodded and rested her head on your shoulder and kissed his jaw softly "I know. You were yelling at him in your sleep. your just as loud when you're asleep you know". He rolled his eyes and kissed her forehead "Thanks? I think". She chuckled and caught his lips in a full kiss "Your welcome hothead, but c'mone, are you ok? This is the third night in a row" she paused, weighing her options before continuing "Maybe it's time you see someone?" As soon as she said it she knew it was too soon to push him again. He pulled away from her touch and stiffened "I don't need a shrink. It's just a stupid dream".

She sighed and pushed her hair out of her face, moving so she could face him "You have "stupid dreams" about 4 nights out of 5, that means 80% of nights you don't get a full night and frankly I don't either, neither of us is going to be good at our jobs if we fall asleep on site. I know you think you're untouchable but you need help Diego, he hurt you and when people get to hurt them need help to get better. It's not stupid or weak. You wouldn't try and deal with a broken arm on your own, would you? SO why try to handle PTSD yourself?"

In the dark he frowned, looking away from her "It's not PTSD! I have never done anything in my life to deserve PTSD and I don't have it, I had a father who was a bully, lots of kids have that I'm the one who can't handle it!" His anger was rising and he felt it but he couldn't do much about it, besides he decided it was better than crying in front of her "Maybe that's why I was always second best! I could never be the best because I couldn't even handle a little pressure!"

Before he could continue she took his hands and squeezed hard "Shut up, don't go down that rabbit hole again Diego, we all know it just goes down to hell and stop talking like that. The thing you have told me about the Umbrella Academy? That's traumatic as hell, that counts too does longterm abuse and maybe you would know that if you were paying attention in criminal psych instead of sleeping because you can't sleep at night because every night your back there!" She hated raising her voice but sometimes with him that was the only way. 

He hung his head and after a minute took a shaking breath, his anger having faded "I-i-its not PTSD, I'm f-fine, maybe just some sleeping meds. I'm sorry I wake you up though, you shouldn't suffer because of shit he did to a kid."

She softened and reached up to cup his jaw, enjoying the way the stubble felt on her palm, and how his warm breath felt on her wrist and- she cut herself off, she liked a lot of things about him, even if she wouldn't let herself admit it but she didn't want him to know it. "I only suffer because your hurting and I care about my partner ok? I can't do my best work if you don't and you don't when he's haunting you. You don't have to do anything you don't want to but at least talking to someone might get it out of your head. But hey, I won't tell you what to do" she closed the distance between them and kissed him softly. 

He responded instantly, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer, she could feel his heart beat and was thankful that he couldn't see her blush in the dark. She leaned against him a little, one of the few times she would allow it and bit softly at his bottom lip "Hold your horses, I still want to go back to sleep so maybe we should be calming that heart rate instead".

He snorted softly but parted his lips to make it easier for her, happy to be. off the topic that had woken him up in the first place. he tugged gently on her shirt to emphasize his point, a shirt he quickly realized was his. He chuckled softly to himself, she looked better in his clothing then he did half the time.

She pressed both hands to his chest, slowly pushing him until he was laying flat on his back "Go to sleep you dumbass, we have combat training tomorrow and your gonna need all the sleep you can get. If you agree to at least try I'll play with your hair."

That was a trump card so he relaxed, letting his hands drop in a sign of submission. She smiled and kisses his lips one more time before rolling off of him and getting cozy next to him where she could run her fingers through his hair. As always it did the trick and soon he was snoring softly. SHe laughed softly to herself, curling up against his side to soak up his warmth and try and fall asleep herself, ignoring, of course, her rising concern. When she had first met Diego he had one, maybe two nightmares a month, now she couldn't remember the last night he had slept through, it was going to start wearing on his health as well as other things she had noticed but had no way to bring up to him. She sighed and resigned to try and figure it out in the morning as she let her eyes close. 

3:25 am is what the clock read when Diego bolted up again, this time feeling like he couldn't breathe, the irony was half the pain.


End file.
